Pipeline inspection

ABSTRACT

The present application provides for examining a pipeline, such as a hydrocarbon pipeline. It finds particular application with the examination of pipelines located in harsh environments. An external facility, such as a remote station and/or a central station, transmits topography data to a data taking head configured to examine the pipeline. Based upon the topography data, one or more data taking heads examine the pipeline and generate pipeline data and/or position data, which may be used to identify one or more characteristics of the pipeline. This data may be transferred to a remote station, such as a truck, which may analyze the data to determine where to perform maintenance on the pipeline, for example. A human operator may observe the data taking heads from the remote station and respond to problems encountered by the data taking head.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 61/192,573 filed Sep.19, 2008, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety. PCT application PCT/US09/37085 filed Mar. 13,2009 is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present application relates to the examination of pipelines or otherfluid transport vessels (e.g., a column, heat exchanger silo, etc.). Itfinds particular application with inspections of above-groundhydrocarbon pipelines. It also relates to other applications where datafrom a movable scanner may be used to provide information about thestructure and/or dynamics of an object being scanned.

Inspections of pipelines are common to detect defects, obstructions, andflaws in the manufacturing process that may affect the flow of a fluid.Additionally, over time pipelines may endure abrasion, corrosion, etc.that may lead to structural fatigue, divots, or cracks that cause thepipeline to leak or otherwise affect performance. Leakage of a fluid maylead to substantial monetary cost and production delays for an entityresponsible for the pipeline, so it is desirable for pipelines to beregularly inspected to identify cracks, wall thinning, etc. before aleak occurs.

Unfortunately, in some applications, the inspection process is timeconsuming because of the number of pipelines and/or the length of thepipelines. For example, pipelines that deliver oil or other hydrocarbonsfrom an extraction platform to a shipping dock may be hundreds orthousands of miles long. Additionally, multiple pipelines may run inparallel, and each of the parallel pipelines may undergo inspection.Therefore, depending upon the speed of the examination, the inspectionprocess may take months if not years to complete.

The locations of some pipelines also complicate the inspection process.Some pipelines, particularly hydrocarbon pipelines, are in areas withharsh environments that make inspection difficult. For example, some oiland natural gas pipelines in Alaska are not inspected in the summermonths because the ground it too soft. Therefore, pipeline inspectionsare conducted during the winter months when the temperature can drop tobelow negative forty degrees and the day consists of one hour ofsunlight. In such environments, it is difficult to inspect pipelines,particularly if humans play a significant role in the inspection process(e.g., by guiding a data taking head).

One type of inspection apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,854to Gupta. Gupta describes an inspection carriage, or data taking head,which is configured to be moveably mounted to a pipeline. As it movesalong the pipeline, it uses radiation to examine the pipeline andgenerate pipeline data. The pipeline data is then transmitted to acomputer that employs logic to compute the wall thickness of thepipeline, which is displayed on a monitor in real-time as the datataking head continues the examination. If the wall thickness falls belowa predetermined value, a warning system in the computer may betriggered.

To maneuver the data taking head an operator may use a remote control toactivate a drive system in the carriage and/or to alternate the speed ofthe carriage. In addition, the operator can alter the rate of datacollection to improve or reduce the degree of resolution.

While the inspection apparatus describe in Gupta has proven useful insome applications, it is less useful in other applications because ofthe degree of human involvement used to operate the data taking head.For example, in areas where pipeline inspections are done in virtualdarkness, such as in Alaska, it is difficult for humans to navigate thedata taking head along the pipeline, even with artificial lighting.Additionally, the operator must be in close spatial proximity to thedata taking head to oversee the operation. However, the operator cannotget too close because of the possibility of radiation exposure from theradiation source in the data taking head. Therefore, the operator'sability to visually monitor the progress and operate the data takinghead is impaired. Situations such as these increase the chances of humanerror. Human error in the navigation can hamper progress during theinspection and/or can cause serious damage to the data taking head if,for example, the data taking head were to hit a pipeline support.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the present application address the above matters, andothers. According to one aspect, an apparatus is provided. The apparatuscomprises a data taking head configured to examine a pipeline andgenerate pipeline data indicative of a characteristic of the pipeline inresponse thereto. The apparatus also comprises a central stationconfigured to receive pipeline data and provide topography data fromwhich one or more operating commands for the data taking head arederived.

According to another aspect, an apparatus for communication with a datataking head is provided. The apparatus comprises a transceiver for twoway communication with at least one data taking head, and an analyzerconfigured to analyze pipeline data received from the at least one datataking head. The apparatus also comprises a controller configured togenerate instructions for the at least one data taking head regarding atleast one of how to examine the pipeline and how to traverse a pipeline.

According to yet another aspect, a data taking head is provided. Thedata taking head comprises a pipeline inspection component configured toinspect a pipeline and generate pipeline data in response thereto, and aposition determiner configured to generate position data indicative of alocation of the data taking head. The data taking head also comprises atransceiver configured to transmit at least one of the pipeline data andthe position data to an external data handling facility and to receivetopography data from the external data handling facility. The datataking head further comprises a controller configured to controlmovement of the data taking head based upon the received topographydata.

According to yet another aspect, a method for collecting data isprovided. The method comprises receiving topography from a remotestation, examining a pipeline based upon the received topography data,and generating pipeline data based upon the examination. The method alsocomprises generating position data identifying a location on thepipeline that is under examination, and combining the pipeline data withthe position data to generate analyzed pipeline data.

According to another aspect, a data taking head is provided. The datataking head comprises a pipeline inspection component configured toinspect a pipeline and generate pipeline data in response thereto, and aposition determiner configured to generate position data indicative of alocation of the data taking head. The data taking head may also comprisea topography sensing component configured to generate sensor dataindicative of a topography of the pipeline, and a transceiver configuredto transmit at least one of the pipeline data and the position data toan external data handling facility. The data taking head may furthercomprise a controller configured to control movement of the data takinghead based upon the sensor data.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate still other aspectsof the present application upon reading and understanding the appendeddescription.

FIGURES

The application is illustrated by way of example and not limitation inthe figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like referencesindicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example apparatusfor inspecting a pipeline.

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an example data takinghead.

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a remote station.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a central station.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating an example method of collectingdata.

DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a system block diagram illustrating an example apparatus 100for inspecting pipelines 104. It will be appreciated that the term“pipeline” is used herein in a broad sense herein to describe, amongother things, a fluid transport vessel and/or a portion thereof. Whilethe apparatus 100 may be used in a plurality of applications, it findsparticular application with the inspection of hydrocarbon pipelines.Such pipelines often traverse hundreds of miles of land and are locatedin harsh environments. Inspections of the pipelines are often timeconsuming, costly, and are not conducive to human operation. Therefore,an inspection apparatus that can operate for long hours with little tono human intervention, or operation, is preferred.

The example apparatus 100 comprises one or more data taking heads 102configured to be selectively coupled, or mounted, to a respectivepipeline 104. In some applications, such as where pipelines run inparallel and/or are in close spatial proximity, it may be beneficial touse multiple data taking heads concurrently. In the illustrated example,respective pipelines 104 of a first set 106 of one or more pipelinescomprise a data taking head 102 (e.g., each data taking head 102 ispositioned on a pipeline 104). Likewise, respective pipelines 104 of asecond set 108 of pipelines, or a second portion of the pipelinesillustrated in the first set 106, comprise data taking heads 102.

As illustrated in the example, there may be “n” sets 110 of pipelines104, or “n” segments of the same pipelines, and the apparatus 100 maycomprise “m” number of data taking heads 102, wherein “n” and “m” areintegers greater than zero. It will be understood to those skilled inthe art that “n” and “m” do not have to be equal. For example, there maybe fewer data taking heads 102 than there are pipelines 104 running inparallel because of the manufacturing cost of the data taking heads 102.

The data taking heads 102 may be configured to receive, among otherthings, topography data related to the topography of the pipeline 104from external data handling facility(ies) (e.g., 112 and/or 114). Thetopography data may be related to the surface of the pipeline 104,interior aspects of the pipeline 104, and/or the environment surroundingthe pipeline 104. For example, the data taking heads 102 may receiveinformation related to obstacles (e.g., pipeline support beams, markers,etc.) and/or turns that the data taking head 102 may soon maneuverthrough.

It will be appreciated that the form, or complexity, of the topographydata may vary depending upon the processing capabilities of the datataking head 102, for example. In one embodiment, the topography datacomprises data related to a start position and/or an end position of anexamination, and the data taking head 102 may control its motions alongthe pipeline independent of an external data handling facility (e.g., aremote station and/or a central station). In another embodiment, where adata taking head 102 has minimal processing capabilities, the topographydata received by the data taking head 102 may be in the form ofcommands, or instructions, instructing the data taking heads 102 how totraverse the pipeline 104 (e.g., instructing the data taking head 102how to avoid an obstacle). In yet another embodiment, where the datataking head 102 has sufficient processing capabilities, the topographydata received by the data taking head 102 may be less suitable for useby the data taking head 102, and the data taking head 102 may use logicto generate commands based upon the topography data. For example, thetopography data may identify the pipeline architecture and the datataking head 102 may analyze the topography data to generate commandsthat may be used to operate the data taking head 102, and/or componentsof the data taking head (e.g., to maneuver around obstructions).

It will be appreciated that in some embodiments, topography data andcommands may be distinguishable from one another. That is, topographydata may refer to data related to pipeline architecture or other dataidentifying a layout of the pipeline 104 and/or an environmentsurrounding the pipeline 104, for example, while commands may refer toinstructions that instruct the data taking head 102 how to maneuveralong the pipeline. Stated differently, topography data may be used in ageneric way to refer to any data that helps guide the data taking head102, including commands, and/or it may be used in a more specific way torefer to data that is used for generating commands, whereas the termcommands, as used herein, is generally limited to instructions formaneuvering, for example.

Based upon the received topography data and/or data generated by thedata taking head (e.g., sensor data), data taking heads 102 traversetheir respective pipelines 104 in a substantially axial direction (e.g.,a direction parallel to the direction of fluid flow) and examine thepipelines 104 to generate pipeline data indicative of one or morecharacteristics of the pipeline 104 (e.g., thickness of a pipeline'swall, corrosion, etc.). The pipeline data that is generated from anexamination of the pipeline 104 may be processed by the data taking head102 and/or transferred to one or more sources external to the datataking head 102.

The apparatus 100 may also comprise one or more remote stations 111,112, and 113 that are operably coupled to one or more data taking heads102. In the example, a first remote station 111 is operably coupled todata taking heads 102 positioned on a first set 106 of pipelines, and asecond remote station 112 is operably coupled to data taking heads 102positioned on a second set 108 of pipelines. As illustrated, there maybe “n” remote stations 113 (e.g., corresponding to “n” sets 110 ofpipelines), wherein “n” is an integer greater than zero.

It will be appreciated that “remote station” is used herein in a broadsense to refer to a movable object, such as a truck or trailer that maybe positioned in close spatial proximity (e.g., within a few hundredyards) to the data taking heads 102. In this way, the remote stations(e.g., herein collectively referred to as 112 because they performsubstantially the same functions) can monitor the progress of the datatakings head(s) 102 and/or respond to problems that may arise while thedata taking heads 102 are in operation. For example, the remote station112 may provide assistance to a data taking head 102 if it is stuck insnow.

The remote stations 112 may be configured to send data to the datataking heads 102 and/or receive data from the data taking heads 102. Forexample, pipeline data and/or position data (e.g., data identifying theposition of the data taking head 102) generated by the data taking head102 may be received by the remote station 112. Similarly, the topographydata, used by the data taking head to traverse the pipeline 104 underexamination, may be transmitted to the data taking head 102 from theremote station 112. In this way, the remote station 112 may be intwo-way communication with data taking heads 102.

It will be appreciated that data sent from a remote station 112 to adata taking head 102 (e.g., topography data) and/or data received by theremote station 112 from the data taking head 102 (e.g., pipeline data,position data, etc.) may be analyzed, or processed, by the remotestation 112. For example, the remote station 112 may combine thepipeline data and position data to generate analyzed pipeline data. Inanother example, the remote station 112 receives topography data from acentral station 114 and converts it into commands that may be sent tothe data taking head 102. By using the remote stations 112 in this waythe processing capabilities of the data taking heads 102 may be reducedto reduce the energy consumption, weight, and/or size of the data takinghead 102, for example.

The remote station 112 may also be configured to transmit data to acentral station 114 and/or receive data from the central station. Forexample, the remote station 112 may transmit the analyzed pipeline datato the central station 114 (e.g., for storage) and/or may receivetopography data from the central station 114. In this way, the remotestation may be in two way communication with the central station.

As illustrated, the central station 114 may be configured to receivedata from a plurality of remote stations (e.g., 111, 112, and 113). Datathat is received may be processed by the central station 114 (e.g., todetermine when/whether to dispatch maintenance crews) and/or may bestored by the central station 114, in a data storage device, forexample. In this way, the central station 114 may act as a hub forpipeline inspection and/or pipeline maintenance information.

The topography data that is used to derive commands for the data takingheads 102 may also be stored by the central station. When a portion of apipeline 104 is about to be inspected by a data taking head 102, thecentral station 114 may transmit topography data related to that portionof the pipeline 104 to a remote station 112 operably coupled to the datataking head 102, which may then transmit it to the data taking head 102.

It will be appreciated that in one embodiment of the apparatus 100,there may be no remote stations 112. For example, a remote station 112may not be part of the apparatus 100 if there is minimal probabilitythat a data taking head 102 will encounter a problem during theexamination. Therefore, the pipeline data may be transmitted from thedata taking head 102 to the central station 114, and the central station114 may perform functions similar to those of a remote station 112, forexample. Likewise, the topography data may be transmitted from thecentral station 114 to the data taking heads 102 (e.g., bypassing aremote station 112). In any event, it will be appreciated thatcommunications (e.g., between 102, 112 and/or 114) may occur wirelessly,via satellite and/or through hardwired couplings.

FIG. 2 is a component block diagram of an example data taking head 200(e.g., 102 in FIG. 1). The data taking head 200 is configured to beselectively mounted, or placed, on a pipeline (e.g., 104 in FIG. 1) andgenerally comprises a means for traversing the pipeline. For example,the data taking head 200 may comprise wheels 202 and may be propelledalong the pipeline by a pulley system and/or a drive system 204.

The data taking head 200 comprises an inspection component 206configured to inspect the pipeline using any suitable technology fordetermining characteristics (e.g., wall thickness) of the pipeline underexamination. In one example, the inspection component 206 comprises aremovable radiation source configured to emit radiation towards thepipeline and a detector array, positioned on a diametrically oppositeside of the pipeline relative to the radiation source, configured todetect the radiation and generate signals, or pulses, indicative of theradiation received. In another example, the inspection component 206comprises an ultrasound mechanism that uses sound waves to detectcharacteristics of the pipeline.

The data taking head 200 may also comprise a position determiner 208configured to generate position data indicative of the position of thedata taking head 200. In one example, the position determiner 208 maycomprise a global positioning system (GPS) receiver that determines thecoordinates of the data taking head 200. In another example, theposition determiner 208 is an odometer configured to measure thedistance the data taking head 200 has traveled from its last knownlocation (e.g., the start of the inspection, a pipeline marker, etc.).This position data may later be imposed upon a map of pipeline (e.g., bya remote station or a central station) to determine the position of thedata taking head 200 relative to obstacles and/or turns in the pipeline,for example.

The position data may be useful for numerous reasons. For example, theposition data may be useful for determining the location of corrosion inthe pipeline. While the pipeline data may be indicative of corrosion,without such position data, it may be difficult for maintenance crews toknow where the corrosion is with respect to the pipeline if thecorrosion is on an interior surface of the pipeline wall, for example.In another example, the position data may be useful for verifying thatthe pipeline data is accurate. If the location of corrosion was basedupon the speed of the data taking head 200, for example, there could beinstances where the determined location of the corrosion (e.g., basedupon the speed and the pipeline data) differed from the actual location.For example, if the data taking head 200 gets stuck in snow, theinspection component 206 may continue to examine the same portion of thepipeline over and over. Without a way of determining whether the datataking head 200 is actually moving, and not just spinning its wheels, itwould be difficult to verify that the pipeline data reflects the actualcharacteristics of the pipeline.

The data taking head 200 may also comprise a status determiner 210configured to generate status data indicative of a status of the datataking head 200. In one embodiment, the status determiner 210 iscomprised of a plurality of sensors configured to verify that componentsof the data taking head 200 are operating properly. For example, thesensors may be configured to determine whether various signals in thesystem are within predetermined tolerances or whether the positioningapparatus has performed as instructed to do (e.g., to continueinspection and/or avoid an obstacle). In another example, the sensorsmay be configured to measure the current being supplied to theinspection component, the speed that the data taking head 200 istraveling, and/or the energy reserves (e.g., gasoline tank, battery,etc.) of the data taking head.

The data taking head 200 may also comprise a topography sensingcomponent 224 configured to generate sensor data indicative of thetopography of the pipeline. For example, sensors of the topographysensing component 224 may be configured to sense obstacles and/or turnsthat the data taking head 200 may soon encounter. It will be appreciatedthat the data taking head 200 may use such sensor data to generateoperating commands that allow the data taking head 200 to navigateitself along the pipeline with minimum topography data from an externaldata handling facility 216 (e.g., a remote station and/or a centralstation) and/or it may be used to verify that topography data from theexternal data handling facility is accurate. The sensor data may also beused (e.g., by the data taking head 200 and/or the external datahandling facility 216) in combination with the topography data togenerate commands. In another example, the sensor data is used to warnof impending harm, provide an update to a human operator in a remotestation, and/or indicate that the data taking head 200 has reached adestination (e.g., a stopping point, a known marker, etc.), for example.

The inspection component 206, position determiner 208, status determiner210, and/or topography sensing component 224 may transmit the respectivedata to a controller 212 that is configured to manage data generated bythe data taking head 200 (e.g., the pipeline data, position data, statusdata). The controller 212 comprises a processor configured to processthe data that is received from other components of the data taking head200. It will be appreciated that the level, or amount, of processing maydepend upon the capabilities of the processor. In one embodiment, thecontroller 212 collects the data from the various components andtransmits it to a transceiver 214 (e.g., there is minimal processing ofthe data). In another embodiment, that controller 212 is configured toperform some analysis on raw pipeline data generated by the inspectioncomponent 206 before transmitting it to the transceiver 214. In yetanother embodiment, the controller's processing capabilities allow it tocombine the pipeline data with the position data and/or status data(e.g., data related to the speed the data taking head 200 is moving) todetermine the location of corrosion along the pipeline. It will beappreciated that in some embodiments, combined pipeline and positiondata may be referred to as analyzed pipeline data.

The controller 212 may use the topography data and/or sensor data tooperate the drive system 204 and/or rotate a portion of the data takinghead 200 away from obstacle that limits the maneuverability of the datataking head 200, for example. In one embodiment, the controller 212 alsohas the capability to override topography data from the external datahandling facility 216 if the pipeline data, the position data, statusdata, and/or sensor data is indicative of a problem. For example, if thesensor data indicates that the data taking head 200 is about to hit anobstacle, the controller 212 may issue commands shutting down the drivemechanism 204 and/or issue a command instructing the data taking head200 how to navigate past the obstacle. In another example, thecontroller 212 may instruct the inspection component 206 to rescan aportion of the pipeline if the controller 212 has processed pipelinedata and determined that it is inaccurate (e.g., because the data takinghead 200 was stuck in snow). In yet another example, the controller 212may use redundant pipeline data to indicate malfunction. Typically theinspection component 206 will take redundant data and the controller212, for example, will average it to improve precision. However, if theredundant data is not within reasonable tolerances, the controller 212may call for a rescan.

At least a portion of the data that has been processed by the controller200 may be transferred to a transceiver 214 configured to transmit thedata to one or more external facilities 216, such as a remote station(e.g., 112 in FIG. 1) and/or a central station (e.g., 114 in FIG. 1). Itwill be appreciated that the transceiver 214 may transfer the data tothe external facility 216 through a wireless communication medium (e.g.,through an 802.11 protocol, satellite communications, etc.) and/orthrough a transmission line (e.g., a fiber optic cable), as well asthrough satellite communications, that operably couples the data takinghead 200 to the external data handling facility 216.

The transceiver 214 may also be configured to receive data from one ormore external facilities 216. For example, the transceiver 214 mayreceive topography data from the external facility 216. In this way, thedata taking head 200 can be in real-time communication with the externalfacility 216 so that an operator can make adjustments to the data takinghead 200 based upon the data that is received by the external facility216, for example. In another example, this communication allows the datataking head 200 to be navigated along the pipeline without the datataking head 200 having to store in memory large amounts of topographydata.

The data taking head 200 may also comprise a storage medium 218, such asonboard memory, a hard drive, and/or flash drive, for example, that isoperably coupled to the controller 212 and allows data to be stored onthe data taking head 200. In one example, the storage medium 218 maystore data that has yet to be transmitted to the external data handlingfacility 216 and/or may store data from the external facility 216 (e.g.,creating a buffer). In this way, the storage medium 218 may allow thedata taking head 200 to continue operating if it temporarily losescommunication with the external facility 216, for example.

The data taking head 200 may also comprise a mechanical interface 220configured to be selectively coupled to a mechanical interface of theexternal facility 216. The mechanical interface 220 may allow the datataking head 200 to be positioned on a pipeline and/or removed from apipeline (e.g., if the data taking head 200 is broken and/or theexamination is complete), for example. In one embodiment, the mechanicalinterface 220 comprises an attachment point, such as a ring, that isconfigured to be attached to a hook portion of a crane on the externalfacility 216.

The data taking head 200 also comprises a power source 222, such asbatteries or a gasoline tank, which provides a way of powering thecomponents of the data taking head 200. The data taking head 200 maycomprise a power interface configured to be selectively coupled to oneor more external facilities 216 so that the power source 222 may berecharged, refilled and/or otherwise replenished. In the illustratedexample, the power source 222 is comprised within the data taking head200. However, it will be understood to those skilled in the art thepower source may not be part of the data taking head 200, and a powertransmission line may connect the data taking head 200 to an externalpower source. For example, the power source 222 may be part of theexternal facility 216 and a power cable may extend from the externalpower source 216/222 to the data taking head 200.

FIG. 3 illustrates a remote station 300 (e.g., the external facility 216in FIG. 2 and/or 112 in FIG. 1). The remote station 300 is configured toreceive pipeline data, position data, status data, sensor data, and/orother data from one or more data taking heads 302 (e.g., as illustratedin FIG. 1). In this way, there may be fewer remote stations 300 thanthere are data taking heads 302 (e.g., saving an entity responsible forinspecting pipelines).

Generally, the remote station 300 is a movable vehicle such as a truckor trailer that has wheels 304 or another mechanism that allows theremote station 300 to be positioned in close spatial proximity (e.g.,within a few hundred feet or a few miles) to the data taking head 302.In this way, the remote station 300 can monitor the progress of the datataking head 302 and/or respond to problems with the data taking head302.

The remote station 300 comprises a transceiver 306 configured to sendand/or receive data. For example, the transceiver 306 may be configuredto receive pipeline data, position data, sensor data, and/or status datafrom a transceiver on the data taking head 302. In another example, thetransceiver 306 is configured to transmit topography data to the datataking head 302. In yet another example, the transceiver 306 isconfigured to send data generated by the remote station 300, orforwarded from the data taking head 302 and analyzed by the remotestation 300, to a central station 308 and receive data from the centralstation 308 (e.g., operating somewhat as an intermediary).

The transceiver 306 is operably coupled to a controller 310 of theremote station 300. The controller 310 is configured to control the flowof data entering and/or leaving the remote station 300. For example,data that is received by the transceiver 306, whether received from thedata taking head 302 or the central station 308, is generallytransmitted from the transceiver 306 to the controller 310. Likewise,the controller 310 generally forwards to the transceiver 306 data thatthe transceiver 306 transmits to a data taking head 302 and/or thecentral station 308.

The controller 310 may comprise components that are configured toprocess various types of data that are received. For example, where thedata taking head 302 has limited processing capabilities, a pipelineanalyzer 312 may analyze raw pipeline data from an inspection componentof the data taking head 302 and/or combine the pipeline data with theposition data to determine pipeline characteristics (e.g., wallthickness) at various locations along the pipeline. In another example,the pipeline analyzer 312 is configured to convert the pipeline datainto a human perceptible form of pipeline data (e.g., a form that may bedisplayed on a display). In yet another example, the pipeline analyzer312 may be configured to generate pipeline alert data, or an alertsignal, if the pipeline data is unable to be analyzed (e.g., because thedata is corrupt) and/or the data is indicative of characteristics thatare outside of reasonable tolerances. For example, the pipeline analyzer312 may generate pipeline alert data if the pipeline data is indicativeof a wall thickness that is greater than the wall thickness of thepipeline when it was originally installed.

The controller 310 may also comprise a status analyzer 314 configured toprocess status data and generate analyzed status data, for example.Analyzed status data may be status data that has been converted intohuman perceptible form, and/or it may be data, or a signal, indicativeof status data that is not within determined tolerances, for example. Inone example, the status analyzer 314 is configured to generate analyzedstatus data when a pipeline inspection component of the data taking head302 is malfunctioning (e.g., it is not responding to commands from acontroller of the data taking head 302).

It will be understood to those skilled in the art that the processingdone by the status analyzer 314 may depend upon the status data that isreceived from a data taking head 302. For example, if the data takinghead 302 has processing capabilities, the data that is received by thecontroller 310 may not have to be further processed by a status analyzer314 (e.g., a status analyzer 314 does not need to be a component of thecontroller 310). Similarly, if the data taking head 302 has limitedprocessing capabilities, the status data received by the controller 310may be in a raw form, and the status analyzer 314 may process the statusdata to get it into a desired form.

In another example, the controller 310 receives topography data from thecentral station 308 and uses a topography analyzer 316 to process thetopography data so that it is readable by the data taking head 302.Therefore, the configurations and/or capabilities of the topographyanalyzer 316 may depend upon how the topography data is received from acentral station 308 and/or upon the capabilities of the data taking head302. Where the data taking head 302 has limited ability to processtopography data, for example, the topography analyzer 316 may beconfigured to process the topography data into commands that may guidethe data taking head 302 along the pipeline. For example, the commandsmay instruct the data taking head 302 when to turn and/or how tomaneuver to avoid an obstacle near the pipeline, such as a support beam.

It will be appreciated that where sensor data is transmitted to theremote station 300 from the data taking head 302, the topographyanalyzer 316 may also process the sensor data and/or combine the sensordata with the topography data to generate commands that are morerelevant to the data taking head than commands generated solely fromtopography data. For example, the sensor data may indicate that anobject is approximately ten feet away and the topography analyzer 316may alter commands so that the data taking head 302 may navigate aboutthe obstacle.

At least a portion of the data that is processed by components of thecontroller 310, such as the pipeline analyzer 312, the status analyzer314, and/or the topography analyzer 316 may be transferred from thecontroller 310 to the transceiver 306 for distribution to one or moredata taking heads 302 and/or to a central station 308. For example, thetopography data from the topography analyzer 316 (e.g., commands) may betransmitted to the data taking head 302. Similarly, the status dataand/or the pipeline data may be transmitted from the status analyzer 314and the pipeline analyzer 312, respectively, to a central station 308.In this way, the remote station may act as an intermediary between thedata taking head 302 and the central station 308.

The remote station 300 may also comprise a command module 318, wherein ahuman operator can monitor the data that is received by the transceiver306, or the data that is processed by various components of thecontroller 310, for example. The command module 318 may comprise aplurality of monitors configured to provide readouts of the status ofthe data taking head 302 (e.g., based upon the status data) and/or thecharacteristics of the pipeline identified by the data taking head 302(e.g., based upon pipeline data). The command module 318 may alsocomprise one or more monitors for displaying topography data, such as amap of the pipeline being inspected, and/or for tracking the progress ofthe data taking head 302 (e.g., based upon the topography data and/orposition data from the data taking head 302). In another example, thecommand module 318 contains a data taking head indicator 330 (e.g.,speakers, indicator lights, a monitor, etc.) that warns a human operatorif the data taking head 302 is malfunctioning (e.g., based upon thestatus data) and/or displays status data to the operator.

The command module 318 may also comprise controls 334 that areconfigured to allow the operator to selectively, or temporarily,maneuver the data taking head 302 along the pipeline (e.g., overridingcommands of the topography analyzer 316) and/or control an aspect of thedata taking head 302, such as the speed that it traverses the pipeline,for example. In this way, the operator may be able to correct forinaccuracies in the topography data and/or pipeline data. For example,the operator may instruct the data taking head 302 to reexamine aportion of the pipeline if the operator believes that the pipeline datais not actually indicative of the characteristics of the pipeline thatis being examined.

The command module 318 may also comprise a mechanism 332 for visuallyobserving the data taking head 302 while it is traversing the pipeline.It will be appreciated that there are many available alternatives forvisually observing the data taking head 302. In one example, themechanism 332 comprises a window and a lighting apparatus that isconfigured to light an area that is being inspected by one or more datataking heads 302. In another example, the mechanism 332 comprises anight-vision video camera that captures video of the data taking head302 and transmits it to a monitor in the command module 318. It will beappreciated that the operator may use the visual information obtainedfrom the mechanism 332 for observing the data taking head 302 toselectively maneuver the data taking head 302.

The remote station 300 may also comprise a mechanical interface 320configured to be selectively coupled to a mechanical interface of one ormore data taking heads 302. In one example, the mechanical interface 320is a crane, or a robotic arm, that comprises a hook configured to becoupled to a ring on the data taking head 302. In this way, the remotestation 300 may assist the data taking head 302 if it is unable totraverse the pipeline because it is stuck in snow, for example.

The mechanical interface 320 may also be configured to place the datataking head 302 on the pipeline and/or remove it from the pipeline. Inone example, the remote station 300 comprises a data taking head storagecompartment 322 configured to store one or more data taking heads 302when they are not being used to examine the pipeline. In this way, theymay be transported from pipeline to pipeline, or to various sections ofthe same pipeline.

In some cases the data taking head may contain hazardous elements (e.g.,a radiation source). In such a case, the mechanical interface 320 may beconfigured to be selectively coupled to the hazardous elements of thedata taking head 302. In this way, the hazardous elements may be removedfrom the data taking head 302 and placed in an appropriate storage vault324 (e.g., a lead box) of the remote station 300. The ability to removethe hazardous elements from the data taking head 302 and place theelements in an appropriate storage vault 324 may act as a safetymechanism that allows an operator of the remote station 300 to removethe hazard elements if the elements malfunction.

It will be appreciated that at least a portion of the remote station 300may also comprise a radiation shield 326, such as a lead plate, that isconfigured to mitigate radiation exposure to an operator if the remotestation 300 approaches a data taking head 302 with a malfunctioningradiation source. That is, the shielding may act as a barrier if theshutter of a radiation source will not close and the remote station 300,carrying a human operator, approaches the data taking head 302 toretrieve the source.

The remote station 300 may also comprise a power interface 328, such asa generator, for example, configured to supply power to one or more datataking heads 302 if the data taking heads are unable to generate theirown power and/or if a power source on a data taking head is running lowon energy. In one example, a power cable extends from the remote station300 to the one or more data taking heads 302 that are receiving powerfrom the remote station 300. In another example batteries may be(re)charged on the remote station 300 and interchanged with those on thedata taking head 302.

It will be appreciated that in one embodiment, remote stations areinterchangeable. That is, a second remote station may arrive at alocation near the first remote station and begin to receive data and/ortransmit data from the data taking heads operably coupled to the firstremote station. In this way, the first remote station may leave anexamination area (e.g., an area near the data taking heads it issupervising) at the end of an operator's shift, for example, and bereplaced by a second remote station that may continue to perform similarfunctions as the first station. It will also be appreciated that theremote station may comprise less than all of the aforementionedcomponents. For example, where the data taking head 302 comprises apower source, the remote station 300 may not comprise a power interface328.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example central station 400 (e.g., 308 in FIG. 3and/or 114 in FIG. 1). It will be appreciated that the terms “centralstation” are used herein to refer to a substantially permanent object,such as a maintenance building, that may not be moved nor repositionedin relation to the data taking heads (e.g., relative to a remote stationthat may be routinely repositioned).

The example central station 400 comprises a transceiver 402 configuredto receive data from one or more remote stations 404 (e.g., 300 in FIG.3). The received data may comprise pipeline data that has been analyzedby the remote station 404, data related to the position of a data takinghead, and/or data related to a position of the remote station 404(e.g.,if the remote station 404 has a position determiner), for example.

The transceiver 402 may also be configured to transmit data to theremote station 404. For example, the central station 400 may comprisetopography data that may be transmitted to the remote station 404. Inthis way, topography data relevant to the data taking heads that theremote station 404 is monitoring may be transmitted to the remotestation 404 while topography data related to portions of the pipelinethat are less relevant may not be transmitted to the remote station 404(e.g., reducing the memory load on the remote station 404), for example.

The central station 400 may comprise a controller 406 configured toprocess data received by the transceiver 402 and/or data stored in thecentral station 400. For example, the controller 406 may transmit datareceived by the transceiver 402 to processors and/or storage mediumscompatible with the data that is received. Likewise, the controller 406may retrieve data from the storage mediums and/or processors andtransmit it to the transceiver 402 so that the data may be sent to theremote station 404.

The central station 400 may also comprise a pipeline data storage medium408, such as a hard drive, configured to store at least a portion of thepipeline data received from the remote station 404. In one example, thecentral station 400 stores pipeline data related to portions of thepipeline that have thin walls. In this way, a list of the portions ofthe pipeline that need to be repaired may be compiled.

The central station 400 may also comprise a topography data storagemedium 410 configured to store data related to the topography ofpipeline. For example, the central station 400 may store pipelinearchitecture data that identifies the layout of one or more pipelines.That is, the central station 400 may store topography data that is usedto derive commands that assist the data taking head(s) in traversingpipelines.

It will be appreciated that where the position data and/or sensor dataacquired from a data taking head differs from the topography data storedin the topography data storage medium 410, the data in the topographydata storage medium 410 may be altered to correct for the difference.For example, if the topography data in the storage medium 410 isindicative of a seventy degree left turn and the position data from adata taking head indicates that the data taking head made a fifty degreeleft turn, the topography data in the storage medium 410 may be updatedto correct the error (e.g., overwriting the seventy degree left with thefifty degree left turn). In this way, the topography data in the storagemedium 410 may be updated for future examinations of the pipeline.

The central station 400 may also comprise a remote station indicator 412that is configured to monitor the location of the remote station 404and/or to detect problems that may be occurring on the remote station404. For example, if the central station 400 receives position data froma positional determiner comprised on the remote station 404, the remotestation indicator 412 may indicate the coordinates of the remote station404. Similarly, the remote station indicator 412 may indicate whetherthe central station 400 is receiving data from the remote station 404.If the central station 400 has not received data from the remote station404 within a predetermined period of time, the remote station indicator412 may alarm an operator at the central station 400 to attempt otherforms of communication and/or to send help to the remote station 404,for example. In this way, the central station 400 can act as a safetymonitor for a remote station 404 that may be located hundreds of milesaway in a vast, very cold wilderness.

It will be appreciated that in some embodiments there is no remotestation 404, and the central station 400 may also comprises many of thecomponents discussed with regards to the remote station (e.g., asillustrated in FIG. 3), such as a pipeline analyzer, and/or a statusanalyzer. A remote station 404 may not be present if, for example, thedata taking head is capable of transmitting data to the central station400 (e.g., which may be located hundreds of miles from the data takinghead) and/or if the probability that the data taking head will requireassistance from an operator is minimal.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example method 500 for collecting data associatedwith an examination of a pipeline. The example method 500 begins at 502,and topography data is received from a remote station at 504. It will beunderstood to those skilled in the art that the topography data maycomprise data indicative of a pipeline layout (e.g., a pipelinearchitecture map) and/or data indicative of commands that may instruct adata taking head receiving the topography data how to navigate apipeline under examination, for example.

In one embodiment, the remote station receives topography dataindicative of a pipeline layout from a central station and converts itto topography data indicative commands that may be more useful to thedata taking head to reduce the processing resources required by the datataking head. That is, the remote station may convert the topography datainto a more usable form so that it does not have to be converted by thedata taking head. In this way, a data taking head may be guided along apipeline absent human intervention, or control.

At 506, a pipeline is examined based upon the received topography data.That is, the data taking head utilizes the topography data to traverse apipeline (e.g., moving through a plane parallel to the flow of fluid)and examines the pipeline to which the data taking head is coupled, ormounted. The topography data may guide the data taking head, providinginstructions on when to turn and/or how to maneuver about the pipelineto traverse an obstacle, such as a support beam, for example.

It will be appreciated that before the pipeline is examined, thetopography data may be used to determine a start location for theexamination. For example, topography data may be indicative of an endpoint of a previous examination of the pipeline, and the data takinghead may be positioned at the end point of the previous exam to beginanother examination of the pipeline. Once positioned on the pipeline,the position of the data taking head may be verified before anexamination begins. In one example, the data taking head verifies theposition by using sensors (e.g., lasers) that measure the data takinghead's position from a nearby support beam and/or obstacle. In anotherexample, the position is verified by an operator who measures thedistance between the data taking head and a known object. Measurementstaken by the data taking head and/or the operator may be compared withtopography data, related to the pipeline architecture, for example, toverify that the data taking head is in the correct position.

Once the data taking head is in position (e.g., it is mounted to thepipeline by human operators), an examination, as discussed with respectto act 506, may begin.

At 508, pipeline data is generated based upon the examination. Thepipeline data is indicative of characteristics of the pipeline, orindicative of the radiation that traverses the pipeline. For example,the pipeline data may be indicative of corrosion on the pipeline and/ora crack in the pipeline wall.

It will be appreciated that the pipeline data produced by an inspectioncomponent (e.g., 206 in FIG. 2) may be in a raw and relatively unusableform. Therefore, the pipeline data may be processed by one or moreprocessor on the data taking head, a remote station, and/or a centralstation, for example. It will be understood by those skilled in the artthat where the pipeline data is processed may be a function of theprocessing capability of the data taking head, the remote station,and/or the central station, for example, and is not intended to limitthe scope of the method and/or apparatuses herein described. In oneexample, the raw (highly redundant but indirect) pipeline data istransferred from the inspection component to the remote station (e.g., adevice with greater processing power) where it is processed to generatemore refined data (e.g., data that may be more useful for identifyingone or more characteristics of the pipeline).

At 510, position data identifying a location on the pipeline that isunder examination is generated. Generally, the position data isgenerated by a position determiner component of the data taking head,such as a global positioning system (GPS) receiver and/or a calibrationmechanism (e.g., an odometer) configured to measure the distance betweentwo known points (e.g., so that it can be checked against a knowndistance of the two points). In this way, it may be verified that thedata taking head is actually traversing the pipeline as intended and/orverified that the data taking head did not get stuck at a location alongthe pipeline because of debris or snow, for example.

In one embodiment, data generated during the examination of the object(e.g., the position data and/or sensor data) may be used to correcterrors in the topography data. For example, if the topography data isindicative a seventy degree turn in the pipeline but the position dataindicates that the data taking head made a fifty degree turn, thetopography data may be corrected for future use to reflect that actualgeometry of the pipe. Similarly, if the topography data does notindicate an obstacle, but sensor data generated by the data taking headis indicative of an approaching obstacle, the topography data may beupdated to reflect the obstacle.

At 512, the pipeline data and the position data are combined to generateanalyzed pipeline data. In this way, the location of the data takinghead (e.g., based upon the position data) may be combined with thepipeline data to match characteristics of the pipeline with theirappropriate location along the pipeline. For example, the pipeline datamay indicate that a portion of the pipeline has a thin wall and theposition data may be used to indicate the position of the data takinghead at the time the pipeline data was generated (e.g., so that it canbe determined which portion of the pipeline has a thin wall). It will beunderstood to those skilled in the art that the analyzed data that isgenerated from the combination of the pipeline data and position datamay be used to determine which portions of the pipeline to performmaintenance on. In one example, the analyzed data is transmitted to acentral station and used to generate a work order and/or stored forlater generation of a work order.

It will be appreciated that, similarly to the topography data, thepipeline data and/or the position data may be transmitted to a facilityexternal to the data taking head, such as the remote station and/or thecentral station, before the pipeline data and the position data arecombined depending upon the processing capabilities of the respectivecomponents (e.g., the data taking head, remote station, and/or thecentral station), for example. In one example, the pipeline data and theposition data are transferred to a remote station before the combinationto because the processing capabilities of the data taking head areminimal (e.g., reducing the weight and/or energy consumption of the datataking head).

It will also be appreciated that the topography data, pipeline data,position data, analyzed pipeline data, and/or other data may beprocessed further, or in different forms, depending upon how the data isto be used. For example, some of the data may be processed into a formthat may be presented to a human operator. In this way, the humanoperator can verify that the data taking head is operating properlyand/or view a map of the pipeline on a computer monitor, for example.

The acts of receiving, examining, generating pipeline data, generatingposition data, and combining data may be repeated until an examinationof the pipeline, or a designated portion of the pipeline, is complete.It will be appreciated that an examination of the pipeline may take daysor months to complete. Therefore, if there are operators that aremonitoring the data taking heads (e.g., from a remote station), theoperators may be periodically replaced by other operators. In oneexample, a first remote station that is in operable communication withone or more data taking heads conducting examinations may be replaced bya second remote station (e.g., when a second operator begins his shifthe may drive the second remote station to a position near the datataking head(s) and a first operator ending his shift may drive the firstremote station home for the evening). In the way, the data taking headmay operate for long periods of time (e.g., days or weeks) withoutstopping the examination. Alternatively the second operator (oroperators) may drive to the remote station in a utility vehicle whichthe first operator (or operators) uses to return to a central facility.

At 514, the method ends. In one embodiment, once an examination iscomplete, the data taking heads can be removed from the pipelines andplaced on/inside the remote stations. In this way, the data taking headsmay be taking to a storage facility (e.g., a central station) forstorage and/or maintenance.

The application has been described with reference to variousembodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others uponreading the application. It is intended that the invention be construedas including all such modifications and alterations, including insofaras they come within the scope of the appended claims and the equivalentsthereof.

1. An apparatus comprising: a data taking head configured to examine apipeline and generate pipeline data indicative of a characteristic ofthe pipeline in response thereto; and a central station configured toreceive pipeline data and provide topography data from which one or moreoperating commands for the data taking head are derived.
 2. Theapparatus of claim 1, comprising a remote station configured for two waycommunication with at least one of the data taking head and the centralstation.
 3. (canceled)
 4. (canceled)
 5. The apparatus of claim 2, theremote station comprising a processor configured to analyze the pipelinedata from the data taking head and facilitate transmitting the analyzedpipeline data to the central station.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, theremote station configured to receive position data from a positiondeterminer of the data taking head and the processor configured tocombine the position data and the pipeline data to generate the analyzedpipeline data.
 7. The apparatus of claim 2, the remote stationcomprising a mechanical interface configured to be selectively coupledto a hazardous element of the data taking head and, once coupled, themechanical interface configured to place the hazardous element in astorage vault.
 8. (canceled)
 9. (canceled)
 10. (canceled)
 11. (canceled)12. The apparatus of claim 2, the central station configured to issue analert if the remote station has not communicated with the centralstation within a predetermined time interval.
 13. (canceled)
 14. Theapparatus of claim 1, the pipeline comprising an above-groundhydrocarbon pipeline.
 15. (canceled)
 16. An apparatus for communicationwith a data taking head, comprising: a transceiver for two waycommunication with at least one data taking head; an analyzer configuredto analyze pipeline data received from the at least one data takinghead; and a controller configured to generate instructions for the atleast one data taking head regarding at least one of how to examine apipeline and how to traverse the pipeline.
 17. (canceled)
 18. Theapparatus of claim 16, the analyzer configured to combine the pipelinedata with position data from the at least one data taking head whenanalyzing the pipeline data.
 19. (canceled)
 20. The apparatus of claim16, the controller configured to generate instructions for controlling amovement of the at least one data taking head based upon topography dataindicative of the pipeline being analyzed.
 21. (canceled)
 22. Theapparatus of claim 16, the at least one data taking head configured toexamine an above-ground hydrocarbon pipeline.
 23. The apparatus of claim16, the controller configured to generate topography data related to thepipeline based upon sensor data obtained by one or more sensors on thedata taking head.
 24. A data taking head, comprising: a pipelineinspection component configured to inspect a pipeline and generatepipeline data in response thereto; a position determiner configured togenerate position data indicative of a location of the data taking head;a transceiver configured to transmit at least one of the pipeline dataand the position data to an external data handling facility and toreceive topography data from the external data handling facility; and acontroller configured to control movement of the data taking head basedupon the received topography data.
 25. The data taking head of claim 24,the pipeline inspection component comprising a radiation source.
 26. Thedata taking head of claim 24, the received topography data relating to apipeline architecture of the pipeline that the pipeline inspectioncomponent is configured to inspect.
 27. The data taking head of claim24, comprising a mechanical interface configured for selectiveattachment to a remote station.
 28. (canceled)
 29. A method ofcollecting data, comprising: receiving topography data from a remotestation; examining a pipeline based upon the topography data; generatingpipeline data based upon the examination; and generating position dataidentifying a location on the pipeline that is under examination. 30.The method of claim 29, comprising using the topography data to instructa data taking head, configured to examine the pipeline, how to traversethe pipeline.
 31. (canceled)
 32. The method of claim 29, the examinationperformed using a radiation source.
 33. The method of claim 29,comprising correcting the topography data based upon the examination ofthe pipeline.
 34. (canceled)
 35. (canceled)
 36. (canceled)